. What is meant by scattering of light? Use this phenomenon to explain way the clear sky appears blue or the sun appears reddish at sunrise

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Ans. Scattering of light is the phenomenon to throw light in various random directions. Light is scattered when it falls on various types of suspended particles in its path. The colour of the scattered light depends on the size of the scattering particles in the atmosphere.

- The larger particles of dust and water droplets present in the atmosphere scatter the light of longer wavelengths due to which the scattered light appears white.

- The extremely  minute  particles  such  as  air  molecules  present  in  the  atmosphere scatter mainly blue light present in the white sunlight.

Colour of the sky appears blue. The  molecules  of air  and  other  fine  particles  in  the atmosphere  have  a size smaller  than  the wavelength  of visible light. So these particles scatter more effectively the light rays of shorter wavelength at the blue end than light of longer wavelength at the red end. When the scattered blue light enters our eyes, it gives us the feeling of a blue sky.     

Colour of the sun appears red at sunrise and sunset. The sun at sunrise and sunset is very near to the horizon, and near the horizon most of the blue light of shorter wave-lengths is scattered away by the 

particles in the atmosphere. There fore, the. light that reaches our eyes is of longer wavelengths  that gives rise to the reddish  appearance  of the sun